Amusement game apparatus

ABSTRACT

A game apparatus comprises a first portion, a second portion, a first side hinge coupling an interior end of the first portion to an interior end of the second portion, and a second side hinge coupling an interior end of the first portion to an interior end of the second portion. The game apparatus has a folded, closed configuration in which it is portable, and opens to an opened configuration for use and enjoyment. One embodiment of the game apparatus comprises a stand that supports the game apparatus in the opened configuration in an inclined position to bias rolling members ejected onto a playing surface to roll towards a receiving end of the playing surface.

STATEMENT OF RELATED APPLICATION

This application depends from and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/904,607 filed on 15 Nov. 2013 and having the same title.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an amusement game apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to a game apparatus that folds for portability, and opens to display an inclined playing surface comprising status and/or dynamic displays that interact with the user for amusement and fun.

2. Background of the Related Art

Amusement games are well-known in the art. Pinball machines are one type of amusement game apparatus involving static and dynamic displays on a rolling surface that interact with a rolling member introduced onto the rolling surface by the user. However, pinball machines are generally very heavy and non-portable.

Non-permanent events such as picnics, festivals, after school gatherings and the like are often attended by persons, such as children, that would enjoy these types of amusement games but for the difficulty of moving pinball machines to and from the event. What is needed is an amusement game that conveniently converts from a light-weight and portable configuration to a configuration in which the amusement game can be used and enjoyed during the event, and subsequently conveniently restored to the portable configuration for easy transport back to storage.

BRIEF SUMMARY

One embodiment of the present invention provides a portable amusement game apparatus having a folded configuration for portability and an opened configuration for use and enjoyment. The apparatus comprises a first open channel portion hingedly coupled to a second open channel portion to facilitate the opening and closing of the apparatus. The apparatus of the present invention comprises two 180 degree hinges that provide enhanced structural stability to the apparatus in the open and in the closed and portable configuration.

An embodiment of the present invention provides erectable static and/or erectable dynamic game components on a rolling surface of the apparatus in the open configuration. An embodiment of the present invention with an erectable dynamic game component may further provide a motor connectable to drive the action of the dynamic game component. An embodiment of the present invention with a motor may further provide a battery compartment or retainer to store a battery used to drive the dynamic game component using the motor.

An embodiment of the present invention provides a compartment in which one or more rolling members can be stored and secured in the closed configuration. When in the open configuration, the rolling members are introduced onto a rolling surface within the opened apparatus to interact with the user and the game components on the rolling surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the game apparatus of the present invention, in an opened configuration.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the game apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2 in a folded configuration.

FIG. 4 is the side elevation view of FIG. 3 illustrating the operation of the hinges.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a hinge of the embodiment of the game apparatus of FIG. 1-4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

One embodiment of the present invention provides a portable game apparatus having a folded and closed configuration for ease of transport and an opened configuration for use and enjoyment.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the game apparatus 10 of the present invention in an opened configuration. The embodiment of the game apparatus 10 comprises a first channel portion 11 having an open end 26 and a top 36 and a second channel portion 12 having an open end 25 and a top 37. The open end 26 of the first channel portion 11 is in abutment with the open end 25 of the second channel portion 12 in FIG. 1 to together form an elongate channel having a rolling surface 29 therein and to provide an elongate, channel having a first end 46 and a second end 47. The first channel portion 11 and the second channel portion 12 are held in the aligned and abutted configuration of FIG. 1 by a pair of hinges 20 having a first L-shaped first L-shaped member 21 secured to the first channel portion 11, a second L-shaped member 22 secured to the second channel portion 12 and a link 23 secured at a first end 23A to the first channel portion 11 and at a second end 23B to the second channel portion 12. The hinge 20 is illustrated in FIG. 1 in the opened configuration and the L-shaped members 21 and 22 engage and stabilize the hinged connection and to retain the open end 26 of the first channel portion 11 against the open end 25 of the second channel portion 12. The operation and structure of the hinges 20 will be discussed more in connection with FIG. 3.

The game apparatus 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 also includes a first static game component 54 on the rolling surface 29 and a second static game component 55 on the rolling surface 29 of the game apparatus 10. It will be understood that embodiments of the game apparatus 10 of the present invention may have many static game components and, optionally, dynamic game components that are positioned along the rolling surface 29 to interact with the rolling members (not shown) during use of the game apparatus 10. The game apparatus 10 in FIG. 1 further includes a spring-loaded plunger 58 movably coupled to the first channel portion 11 proximal to a rolling member launch channel 53 formed when the first channel portion 11 and the second channel portion 12 are abutted as shown in FIG. 1. Aligned with the launch channel 53 is a deflector 57 to deflect a rolling member ejected by the plunger 58 through the launch channel 53 onto the rolling surface 29 to interact with the static game components 54 and 55.

It will be understood that elevating the second end 47 of the elongate game apparatus 10 in the opened configuration illustrated in FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrow 50 and relative to the first end 46 will cause a rolling member (not shown) ejected from the rolling member launch channel 53 and deflected by the deflector 57 onto the rolling surface 29 to roll, according to the angle of the rolling surface 29, from the second end 47 towards the first end 46 and to engage and interact with game components 54 and 55 disposed on the rolling surface 29 along the way.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 illustrating the game apparatus 10. Included in FIG. 2 is a dotted line indicating the position of the rolling surface 29 that supports the game components 29. The elongate channel formed by the abutment of the open end 26 of the first channel portion 11 and the open end 25 of the second channel portion 12 is shown in a flat orientation for convenience, and it will he understood that the second end 47 is elevated above the first end 46 during use, as shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 reveals a rolling member collection area 52 where rolling members (not shown) will eventually come to rest unless they are captured by game components 54 and 55.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the game apparatus 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2 in a folded configuration. The hinge 20 allows the second channel portion 12 to be pivoted about the hinge 20 from the position in FIG. 2 (open configuration) to the position in FIG. 3 (folded configuration) for portability. In the folded configuration illustrated in FIG. 3, the second end 47 on the second channel portion 12 is brought adjacent to and aligned with the first end 46 on the first channel portion 11, and the top 36 of the first channel portion 11 now abuts the top 37 of the second channel portion 12. It will be understood that the game components (not shown in FIG. 3) are protected against damage in the folded configuration of the game apparatus 10 illustrated in FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 is the side elevation view of FIG. 3 illustrating the operation of the hinge 20. While the first L-shaped member 21 remains secured in place on the first channel portion 11, and the second L-shaped member 22 remains in place on the second channel portion 12′ (shown in dotted lines in FIG. 4), the link 23 of the hinge 20 pivots as the second channel portion 12 is simultaneously raised and rotated in a clockwise direction relative to the first channel portion 11. The link 23 between the first channel portion 11 and the second channel portion 12 is stabilized in both the open configuration (see FIGS. 1 and 2) and the closed configuration (see FIGS. 3 and 4).

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a hinge of the embodiment of the game apparatus of FIG. 1 revealing how the L-shaped members 21 and 22 together stabilize the link 23 in the open configuration corresponding to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. The L-shaped member 21 is fixedly secured to the first channel portion 11 using fasteners 66 and the L shaped member 22 is fixedly secured to the second channel portion 12 using fasteners 66, while a first end 23A of the link 23 is pivotally secured to the first channel portion 11 using a fastener 61 while the second end 23B of the link 23 is pivotally secured to the second channel portion 12 using a fastener 62. This structure permits the link 23 to pivot relative to each of the first channel portion 11 and the second channel portion 12 while engaging the L-shaped members 21 and 22 with the link 23 to stabilize the hinge 20 in both the opened and closed configurations.

It will be understood that the game apparatus of the present invention can be modified and customized to provide a wide variety of interactions between the rolling member and the game components on the rolling surface without departure from the structural aspects described in the paragraphs above and illustrated in the appended drawings, which allow the construction, storage and usage of a game apparatus having a rolling surface, rolling members and game components to interact and engage the rolling members as they descend across the rolling surface. It will be understood that the game apparatus of the present invention is limited only by the claims that follow.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used at this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and/or groups, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The terms “preferably,” “preferred,” “prefer,” “optionally,” “may,” and similar terms are used to indicate that an item, condition or step being referred to is an optional (not required) feature of the invention.

The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or steps plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but it is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A game apparatus, comprising: a first channel portion including a bottom panel having a length and a width, a first side wall along at least a portion of a length of a first side of the bottom panel, a second side wall along at least a portion of a length of a second side of the bottom panel, and a proximal end wall along at least a portion of a proximal end of the bottom panel; a second channel portion including a bottom panel having a length and a width, a first side wall along at least a portion of a length of a first side of the bottom panel, a second side wall along at least a portion of a length of a second side of the bottom panel, and a distal end wall along at least a. portion of a distal end of the bottom panel; a first side hinge comprising a first side hinge center member, a first side proximal hinge element connected between the first side hinge center member and a distal end of the first side wall of the first channel portion, and a first side distal hinge element connected between the first side hinge center member and a proximal end of the first side wall of the second channel portion; a second side hinge comprising a second side hinge center member, a second side proximal hinge element connected between the second side hinge center member and a distal end of the second side wall of the first channel portion, and a second side distal hinge element connected between the second side hinge center member and a proximal end of the second side wall of the second channel portion; wherein the first side hinge center member, the first side proximal hinge element and the first side distal hinge element cooperate to secure the proximal end of the first side wall of the second channel portion into abutting engagement with the distal end of the first side wall of the first channel portion in an open position; wherein the second hinge center member, the second side proximal hinge element and the second side distal hinge element cooperate to the secure the proximal end of the second side wall of the second channel portion in abutting engagement with the distal end of the second side wall of the first channel portion in an open hinge position providing an elongate channel to contain a rolling element and game components therewithin; wherein the first hinge center member, the first side proximal hinge element and the first side distal hinge element cooperate to hold a top edge of the first side wall of the second channel portion into abutting engagement with a top edge of the first side wall of the first channel portion, in the closed hinge position; and wherein the second hinge center member, the second side proximal hinge element and the second side distal hinge element cooperate to hold a top edge of the second side wall of the second channel portion into abutting engagement with a top edge of the second side wall of the first channel portion, in the closed hinge position, to provide a compact configuration for storing the apparatus and for protecting game components during transport and storage.
 2. The game apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first side wall, the second side will and the proximal end wall of the first channel portion are connected generally perpendicularly to collected to the bottom panel of the first channel portion.
 3. The game apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first side wall, the second side wall and the distal end wall of the second channel portion are connected generally perpendicularly to the bottom panel of the second channel portion.
 4. The game apparatus of claim 3, wherein a height of the second side wall of the first channel portion added to a height of the second side wall of the second channel portion is generally equal to a height of the first side wall of the first channel portion added to a height of the second side wall of the second channel portion; and wherein a height of the proximal end wall of the first channel portion added to a height of the distal end wall of the second channel portion is generally equal to the height of the second side wall of the first channel portion added to the height of the second side wall of the second channel portion.
 5. The game apparatus of claim 4, further comprising: a latch member on at least one of the proximal end wall of the first channel portion and the distal end wall of the second channel portion; and a latch receiver on the other of the proximal end wall of the first channel portion and the distal end wall of the second channel portion; wherein the latch member is engagable with the latch receiver with the first side hinge and the second side hinge are in the closed position to secure the game apparatus in the compact configuration for storing the apparatus and for protecting game components during transport and storage.
 6. The game apparatus of claim 5, further comprising: a rolling member storage compartment on the first channel portion and surrounded by a portion of the first wall of the first channel portion along a first side, a portion of the proximal end wall of the first channel portion along a proximal end, a second compartment side wall along a second end and a distal compartment end wall along a distal end, bounded along a bottom of the compartment by a bottom compartment floor and closeable along a top of the compartment by pivoting the second channel portion relative to the first channel portion to move the first side hinge and the second side hinge to the closed position. 